The Baixa zone (“downtown”) adds a special touch to Lisbon’s atmosphere. It has traditionally served as the city’s shopping hub and a unique place for leisurely walks. The zone starts at the bank of the River Tagus and runs north along the Terreiro do Paço until Rossio, encompassing the area from Sé to Chiado – representing the core of Lisbon’s identity.
This neighbourhood, built anew after the 1755 earthquake, was ingeniously designed by the Marquis of Pombal and renamed in his honour as the Baixa Pombalina. Besides the grid of shop-lined streets, Baixa is also famous for the colourful street life of Rua Augusta - the main street reserved for pedestrians that ends at Terreiro do Paço.
The zone offers a blend of history, culture and leisure activities. Walking through this interesting urban layout, you’ll find various points of interest - such as the Arch of Rua Augusta and the Elevator of Santa Justa, which will drop you off in the midst of the Carmo ruins.
Walking up to the Chiado shopping zone, visitors will be swept along by an entertaining atmosphere bearing the city’s cultural and intellectual imprint. In the Largo do Chiado square, visit the “A Brasileira” café which became a hangout for many writers and artists from the late 19th century until well into the 20th century, first for writers such as Eça de Queiroz and later for Fernando Pessoa and Almada Negreiros.
In the Chiado zone, you’ll find bookshops, unique cafés and a magical atmosphere. You can also step into the Chiado Museum that, alongside the significant permanent exhibition, always features excellent contemporary exhibitions. Although the Baixa and Chiado axis has created a rejuvenated atmosphere, it’s still cloaked in Portuguese tradition and culture in an amazing harmony.
In and around Lisbon: BAIXA CHIADO
May 2017 - Feature Destination
60 - SEVENSEAS